It’s been a tricky few days on the damage entrance for Yankees followers. After the membership introduced yesterday that right-hander Luis Gil is about to endure an MRI as a result of shoulder troubles and never lengthy after it was made public that slugger Giancarlo Stanton will start the season on the injured listing as a result of soreness in each elbows, one other probably key participant for the membership went down with a possible damage: veteran infielder DJ LeMahieu.
As famous by MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch, supervisor Aaron Boone advised reporters this afternoon that LeMahieu “tweaked” a calf muscle throughout his second at-bat throughout right now’s recreation, which was LeMahieu’s spring debut. LeMahieu is receiving therapy for the problem, however Boone known as the state of affairs “at the least just a little regarding” given the veteran’s latest damage historical past. LeMahieu was restricted to simply 67 video games as a result of a variety of accidents final 12 months, together with a hip impingement that in the end ended his season.
It’s a very troubling growth seeing as LeMahieu was a probable candidate to be the membership’s beginning third baseman on Opening Day. A latest MLBTR Ballot prompt that 27.5% of respondents anticipated LeMahieu to obtain the lion’s share of taking part in time at third base this 12 months. That was sufficient to beat out each Oswaldo Cabrera and Oswald Peraza as the highest inside candidate for the job, although a 34% plurality of respondents prompt that the Yankees’ main resolution on the sizzling nook was more likely to be somebody not but within the group.
Maybe right now’s damage will make that extra possible if LeMahieu winds up unable to get again in time for the start of the season later this month, although the pickings stay fairly slim in the marketplace with part-time veteran Jose Iglesias standing out as one of the best infield choice nonetheless accessible. If the Yankees can’t discover an exterior resolution for the new nook earlier than Opening Day, it appears possible that Cabrera and Peraza will deal with the place in a timeshare till LeMahieu is able to return, although it’s attainable a participant similar to Jorbit Vivas or Pablo Reyes might make a push for the job as nicely.
Other than the information relating to LeMahieu, Hoch means that the damage to Stanton might result in a realigned outfield with Trent Grisham becoming a member of the lineup in middle discipline, with Cody Bellinger sliding from middle to proper discipline and Aaron Choose transferring to DH. Such an association would enhance the membership’s protection total by including a plus glove in middle discipline whereas additionally avoiding damage dangers for Choose, the reigning AL MVP who stands out because the membership’s most essential participant coming into the 12 months. Hoch provides that Boone famous that giving Choose occasional partial days off at DH could possibly be worthwhile early within the season, although Boone was fast to emphasise that he additionally values Choose’s means to contribute on protection in proper discipline. On days the place Grisham isn’t becoming a member of the lineup in middle discipline and pushing a daily to DH, the membership’s inside choices to fill in for Stanton embrace teenager Ben Rice and non-roster invitee Dominic Smith.
Sticking with Choose, the MVP spoke to reporters (together with Hoch) this afternoon about his need to get extra at-bats underneath his belt throughout Spring Coaching this 12 months. At present was Choose’s first look in a Spring Coaching recreation of the 12 months, and notably he acquired simply 24 official at-bats within the spring final season. Choose prompt that extra reps earlier than the season begins might assist him to forestall a sluggish begin just like the one he had final 12 months, the place he batted simply .197/.331/.393 in his first 149 journeys to the plate earlier than turning his season round in early Might and hitting a sensational .357/.492/.787 the remainder of the best way. Clearly, that kind of otherworldly manufacturing over the vast majority of the season can be greater than sufficient to make up for an additional early-season droop, however Choose’s objective of getting one thing nearer to 40 or 50 plate appearances on this spring is an comprehensible one given his struggles early final 12 months.
